Delhi to unlock from Monday; Factories, construction activities allowed

New Delhi, May 28: Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Friday the process of unlock will start from May 31 in a phased manner as the number of COVID-19 cases continued to decline. The National Capital will take one step at a time and will not unlock all activities as there has to be a balance between containment and the resumption of economic activities.

Addressing a press conference Kejriwal said, Positivity rate has come down to 1.5% & around 1,100 cases have been reported in the last 24 hours in Delhi.

"At a meeting of Delhi Disaster Management Authority on Friday, it was decided that the lockdown be lifted gradually. In the process, we have to take care of the lowest strata first ... daily wagers, labourers, migrant workers," he said.

It has been decided to open factories and allow construction activities, Kejriwal said.

"This lockdown will last till Monday, 5 am. We will begin the unlocking process. Construction activities and factories will be reopened from Monday keeping the daily wage workers in mind," he added.

Every week, based on experts'' and public opinion, the government will continue the unlock process, he said.

"After facing so many problems, we have gained control over the 2nd wave somehow. This doesn''t mean the fight has ended.The situation is under control for now. In the last 24 hours, the positivity rate stood at around 1.5 percent."

So, whatever gains Delhi has made in the one-and-a-half month of lockdown cannot be squandered by lifting the restrictions in one go, he added.

However, if the cases start rising again, we will have to stop the unlock exercise, he added and appealed to people not to step out unless it is absolutely necessary.

The chief minister had announced a lockdown in Delhi on April 19, with the city recording over one lakh cases in the previous five days.

Thereafter, the government kept extending the restrictions every week, hoping to break the chain of infection as hospitals reeled under a massive surge of cases and shortage of oxygen and essential drugs.